U.S. patent number 7,136,415 [Application Number 10/291,627] was granted by the patent office on 2006-11-14 for method and apparatus for multiplexing multi-view three-dimensional moving picture.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute. Invention is credited to Chieteuk Ahn, Suk-Hee Cho, Yun Jung Choi, Young Kwon Hahm, Jin Hwan Lee, Kug Jin Yun.
United States Patent |
7,136,415 |
Yun , et al. |
November 14, 2006 |
Method and apparatus for multiplexing multi-view three-dimensional
moving picture
Abstract
An apparatus and method for multiplexing a multi-view
three-dimensional moving picture according to a user's request is
disclosed. The apparatus multiplexes a multi-view three-dimensional
moving pictures by receiving moving pictures and information
inputted from multi-view cameras and generating multi-view encoded
streams corresponding to received moving pictures and information,
receiving back channel information of the user, selecting necessary
multi-view encoded streams according to the back channel
information and multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded
streams by a frame or a field having same time information. The
present invention can effectively process the multi-view
three-dimensional moving picture according to the display mode and
system environment requested from the user by simplifying a
synchronization process.
Inventors: |
Yun; Kug Jin (Taejon,
KR), Cho; Suk-Hee (Taejon, KR), Choi; Yun
Jung (Taejon, KR), Lee; Jin Hwan (Taejon,
KR), Hahm; Young Kwon (Taejon, KR), Ahn;
Chieteuk (Taejon, KR) |
Assignee: |
Electronics and Telecommunications
Research Institute (Taejon, KR)
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Family
ID: |
30439423 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/291,627 |
Filed: |
November 12, 2002 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20040027452 A1 |
Feb 12, 2004 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Aug 7, 2002 [KR] |
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10-2002-0046518 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
375/240.26;
348/42; 348/52; 375/240.01; 348/51; 348/48; 348/47; 375/240.28;
382/235; 348/36; 348/E13.062; 348/E13.015; 348/E13.026; 348/E7.073;
375/E7.024 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
21/21805 (20130101); H04N 21/2393 (20130101); H04N
21/6587 (20130101); H04N 13/243 (20180501); H04N
19/597 (20141101); H04N 21/235 (20130101); H04N
21/435 (20130101); H04N 7/17336 (20130101); H04N
21/2365 (20130101); H04N 21/234327 (20130101); H04N
13/30 (20180501) |
Current International
Class: |
H04B
1/66 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;375/240.01,240.26,240.28 ;348/48,42,52,51,36,47 ;382/235 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0 639 031 |
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Feb 1995 |
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EP |
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2002-32954 |
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May 2002 |
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KR |
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WO 98/41020 |
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Sep 1998 |
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WO |
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WO98/41020 |
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Sep 1998 |
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WO |
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WO03/045046 |
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May 2003 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: An; Shawn S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for multiplexing multi-view three-dimensional
moving pictures, comprising: a stream generator for receiving
moving pictures and information inputted from a first predetermined
number of cameras and generating the first predetermined number of
multi-view encoded streams corresponding to the moving pictures and
information; an information receiver for receiving back channel
information including viewpoint information and a display mode
selected by a user; a multiplexor for selecting a second
predetermined number of multi-view encoded streams among the first
predetermined number of the multi-view encoded streams according to
the back channel information and multiplexing the selected
multi-view encoded streams each having the same time information,
on a frame by frame basis or a field by field basis; and a
packetizer for generating a packet having a header and a payload
and transmitting the packet, wherein the header includes the back
channel information and additional information, which contains
information of encoding method of the multi-view encoded streams
generated in the stream generator, and the payload includes the
multiplexed multi-view encoded stream.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the display mode
includes a two-dimensional display mode, a panorama display mode, a
stereoscopic display mode and an auto-stereoscopic display
mode.
3. A method for multiplexing multi-view three-dimensional moving
pictures, comprising the steps of: a) receiving moving pictures and
information inputted from a first predetermined number of cameras
and generating the first predetermined number of multi-view encoded
streams corresponding to the moving pictures and information; b)
receiving back channel information including viewpoint information
and a display mode selected by a user; c) selecting a second
predetermined number of multi-view encoded streams among the first
predetermined number of the multi-view encoded streams according to
the back channel information and multiplexing the selected
multi-view encoded streams each having the same time information,
on a frame by frame basis or a field by field basis; and d)
generating a packet having a header and a payload and transmitting
the packet, wherein the header includes the back channel
information and additional information, which contains information
of encoding method of the multi-view encoded streams generated in
the step a), and the payload includes the multiplexed multi-view
encoded stream.
4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the display mode
includes a two-dimensional display mode, a panorama display mode, a
stereoscopic display mode and an auto-stereoscopic display
mode.
5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein if the two-dimensional
display mode is selected, a multi-view encoded stream of one
viewpoint selected by a user is multiplexed and transmitted.
6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein if the panorama
display mode is selected, multi-view encoded streams of two or more
viewpoints selected by the user are multiplexed and
transmitted.
7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein if the stereoscopic
display mode is selected, multi-view encoded streams of two
viewpoints selected by the user are multiplexed and
transmitted.
8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein if the
auto-stereoscopic display mode is selected, multi-view encoded
streams of two or more viewpoints selected by the user are
multiplexed and transmitted.
9. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the header is
generated by using only one among lots of additional information of
multi-view encoded streams selected for multiplexing.
10. A computer readable recording medium storing instructions for
executing a method for multiplexing multi-view three-dimensional
moving pictures, comprising functions of: a) receiving moving
pictures and information inputted from a first predetermined number
of cameras and generating the first predetermined number of
multi-view encoded streams corresponding to the moving pictures and
information; b) receiving back channel information including
viewpoint information and a display mode selected by a user; c)
selecting a second predetermined number of multi-view encoded
streams among the first predetermined number of the multi-view
encoded streams according to the back channel information and
multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded streams each having
the same time information, on a frame by frame basis or a field by
field basis; and d) generating a packet having a header and a
payload and transmitting the packet, wherein the header includes
the back channel information and additional information, which
contains information of encoding method of the multi-view encoded
streams generated in the step a), and the payload includes the
multiplexed multi-view encoded stream.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for
multiplexing multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures according
to a user's request and a computer readable recording medium
storing instructions for executing the method; and, more
particularly, to an apparatus and method for multiplexing
multi-view encoded streams outputted at the same time from an
encoder to one stream in order to simplify a
synchronization-process in the multi-view three-dimensional moving
picture system.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ARTS
In general, a multi-view three-dimensional moving picture is a set
of data containing information of images of moving object acquired
at same time from multiple cameras located at different viewpoints.
The multi-view three-dimensional moving picture of object can be
displayed on a display device for providing a realistic view of
moving object and a stereopsis of moving object to a user. The
multi-view three-dimensional moving picture is used in various
application fields. However, mass size of image data, which needs
to be transmitted, and complexity of a synchronization-process
between images has been spotlighted as disadvantages of the
multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures.
The multi-view three-dimensional moving image can be displayed in
various modes such as a two-dimensional display, a panorama
display, a stereoscopic display and an auto-stereoscopic display
and each display type requires its own data format. However, a
conventional moving data processing system does not support to
synchronize various data format of the multi-view three-dimensional
moving picture according to the display modes.
Specially, a conventional three-dimensional moving picture
processing method for the stereoscopic display mode transforms
images of multiple viewpoints to single image and displays the
single image at a two-dimensional image process system. In the
conventional method, a multiplexing process of multi-view encoded
streams is not required since only one multi-view stream is
outputted from the encoder.
However, in case of processing the three-dimensional moving picture
without transformation to the two-dimensional moving picture, a new
image processing method has been demanded for multiplexing multiple
multi-view encoded streams outputted from the encoder in order to
minutely synchronize between multi-view three-dimensional moving
pictures and transmitting the multiplexed streams. Moreover, it has
been demanded a multiplexing method for selecting and multiplexing
data required to display according to the display mode such as the
two-dimensional display mode, the panorama display mode, the
stereoscopic display mode and the auto-stereoscopic display mode
and transmitting the multiplexed data.
However, there is no image data processing apparatus and method for
providing choices of display modes to user and for performing
appropriate processes of the multi-view three-dimensional moving
pictures according to the user's selection of display mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an
apparatus and method for multiplexing a multi-view
three-dimensional moving picture according to user's request and a
computer readable recoding medium storing instructions for
executing the method.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for multiplexing a multi-view
three-dimensional moving pictures, including: stream generating
unit for receiving moving pictures and information inputted from a
first predetermined number of cameras and generating the first
predetermined number of multi-view encoded streams corresponding to
the moving pictures and information; information receiving unit for
receiving back channel information including viewpoint information
and a display mode selected by a user; and multiplexing unit for
selecting a second predetermined number of multi-view encoded
streams among the first predetermined number of the multi-view
encoded streams according to the back channel information and
multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded streams each having
the same time information, on a frame by frame basis or a field by
field basis.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there
is also provided a method for multiplexing a multi-view
three-dimensional moving pictures, including the steps of: a)
receiving moving pictures and information inputted from a first
predetermined number of cameras and generating the first
predetermined number of multi-view encoded streams corresponding to
the moving pictures and information; b) receiving back channel
information including viewpoint information and a display mode
selected by a user; and c) selecting a second predetermined number
of multi-view encoded streams among the first predetermined number
of the multi-view encoded streams according to the back channel
information and multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded
streams each having the same time information, on a frame by frame
basis or a field by field basis.
In accordance with further another aspect of the present invention,
there is also provided a computer readable recoding medium storing
instructions for executing the method, including functions of: a)
receiving moving pictures and information inputted from a first
predetermined number of cameras and generating the first
predetermined number of multi-view encoded streams corresponding to
the moving pictures and information; b) receiving back channel
information including viewpoint information and a display mode
selected by a user; and c) selecting a second predetermined number
of multi-view encoded streams among the first predetermined number
of the multi-view encoded streams according to the back channel
information and multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded
streams each having the same time information, on a frame by frame
basis or a field by field basis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and features of the present invention
will become apparent from the following description of the
preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for processing,
transmitting and receiving a multi-view three-dimensional moving
picture according to user's request in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining a method for multiplexing
multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures according to the
user's request in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the method for multiplexing moving
pictures in case of a two-dimensional display mode in accordance
with the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the method for multiplexing moving
pictures in case of a panorama display mode or an auto-stereoscopic
display mode in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for multiplexing moving
pictures in case of the stereoscopic display mode in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a packetized transmit stream in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent
from the following description of the embodiments with reference to
the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a transceiver for processing,
transmitting and receiving a multi-view three-dimensional moving
picture according to user's request in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1, the transceiver includes a transmitter 11 and
a receiver 12. The transmitter 11 has an encoder 111 for encoding
multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures acquired by N cameras,
wherein the N is natural number bigger than 0, and outputting N
multi-view streams, a multiplexer 112 for receiving N multi-view
streams outputted from the encoder 111, multiplexing the N
multi-view streams to one 3D_AU stream and outputting the 3D_AU
stream and a packetizer 113 for generating a header with additional
information of N multi-view streams outputted from the encoder 111
and multiplexer 112, generating a payload with the 3D_AU stream
outputted from the multiplexer 112 and packetizing the header and
payload to a transmission packet.
The receiver 12 includes an unpacketizer 121 for receiving the
transmission packet from the transmitter 11 and unpacketizing the
transmission packet to a header and payload, a demultiplexer 123
for demultiplexing the 3D_AU stream included in the payload to
multiple multi-view streams, an additional information analyzer 122
for analyzing the additional information included in the header and
a decoder 125 for decoding the demultiplexed multi-view
streams.
As shown in FIG. 1, the encoder 111 receives N moving pictures of N
viewpoints, encodes each of the received N moving pictures to a
minimum near-by unit and outputs N multi-view encoded streams such
as a stream_#1, a stream_#2, . . . and a stream_#n, which represent
an encoded stream of a first viewpoint, an encoded stream of a
second viewpoint, . . . and an encoded stream of N.sup.th
viewpoint.
The N multi-view encoded streams outputted from the encoder 111 are
inputted to the multiplexer 112. The multiplexer 112 selects
necessary multi-view encoded streams according to a display mode
requested by the user and multiplexes the selected multi-view
encoded streams to a 3D_AU stream, as shown in FIG. 1. The
preferred embodiment of the present invention provides four display
modes such as a two-dimensional display mode, a panorama display
mode, a stereoscopic display mode and an auto-stereoscopic display
mode. The user can select a desired display mode among the four
display modes. According to the display mode selected by the user,
necessary multi-view encoded streams are selected among N
multi-view encoded streams for transmitting.
Therefore, it is necessary to acquire back channel information of
the user for processing the three-dimensional moving pictures. The
back channel information includes viewpoints and a display mode
requested by the user. When the back channel information is
received from the user, M multi-view encoded streams are selected
according to the back channel information, wherein M is a natural
number bigger than 0. The selected multi-view encoded streams are
multiplexed. During multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded
streams, the selected multi-view encoded streams can be multiplexed
in a field or a frame by the multiplexer 112. The method for
multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded streams will be
minutely explained with FIG. 2 in later.
By multiplexing the selected multi-view encoded streams, a single
3D_AU stream is generated and the 3D_AU stream is inputted to the
packetizer 113 for generating a transmission packet. The packetizer
113 receives the 3D_AU stream, additional information from the
encoder 111 and the back channel information of the user from the
multiplexer 112. The additional information includes information of
encoding method of the multi-view encoded streams. The packetizer
113 generates a header by including the additional information and
the back channel information of the user and generates a payload by
including the 3D_AU stream. The packetizer 113 finally packetizes
the header and the payload to the transmission packet.
The transmission packet is transmitted to the receiver 12. The
transmission packet is unpacketized to a header and a payload in
the unpacketizer 121. The header is passed to the additional
information analyzer 122 for analyzing the additional information
and the back channel information of the user. The payload is passed
to the demultiplexer 123 for analyzing and demultiplexing the 3D_AU
stream. The additional information and the back channel information
of the user from the additional information analyzer 122 are
necessary for demultiplexing the 3D_AU stream.
M demultiplexed streams are passed and decoded at the decoder 124.
For decoding the demultiplexed streams, the additional information
from the additional information analyzer 122 is required. Finally,
the decoded streams are passed to a display device and outputted
according to the viewpoint and the display mode requested by
user.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining a method for multiplexing
multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures according to a display
mode selected by a user in accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
For implementing the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
several assumptions of an environment are required. At first, input
data of the preferred embodiment are data streams of
three-dimensional moving pictures inputted from a plurality of
cameras. For providing the data streams of three-dimensional moving
pictures, at least two cameras are required.
Cameras are arranged for capturing three-dimensional moving
pictures and it is distinguished with a camera arrangement for
capturing two-dimensional moving pictures. For implementing the
preferred embodiment of the present invention in order to support a
two-dimensional display mode and a three-dimensional display mode,
calibration information of each camera should be identical and
cameras should be arranged with a difference of 65 mm.
The method for multiplexing multi-view three-dimensional moving
pictures in accordance with the present invention requires
viewpoint information and a display mode requested by a user since
the present invention uses different method for multiplexing the
multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures according to back
channel information including the viewpoint information and the
display mode requested from the user.
The user can select the display mode among four display modes and
the viewpoint among N numbers of viewpoints. For example, if the
user wants to see two dimension moving pictures, then the user
should select a two-dimensional display mode and a desired
viewpoint among N numbers of viewpoints. After selecting the
display mode and the viewpoints, the moving pictures of selected
viewpoints will be displayed on a display device after processing
the moving pictures with appropriate methods according to the
selected viewpoints and the display mode. That is, if the user
wants the two-dimensional moving pictures, only necessary moving
pictures are selected among moving pictures inputted from the
plurality of cameras and the selected moving pictures are processed
for displaying on a display device. Therefore, the user cannot see
other sides of the moving pictures by turning the displayed images
as like as three-dimensional computer graphic (CG).
The present invention provides four display modes including a
two-dimensional display mode, a panorama display mode, a
stereoscopic display mode and an auto stereoscopic display mode.
According to the display mode selected by the user, moving pictures
of the viewpoints are differently processed. A method for
processing the moving pictures according to each display mode will
be explained in detail as follows
At first, the two-dimensional display mode is a conventional moving
picture display mode. If the user selects the two-dimensional
display mode, moving pictures of the selected viewpoint, which are
moving pictures inputted from only one camera, are multiplexed and
transmitted to a receiver.
Secondly, the panorama display mode requires the moving pictures of
more than two viewpoints. That is, moving pictures of more than two
viewpoints are provided to the user. For example, in case that the
user selects the panorama display mode and desired viewpoints such
as first, third and fifth viewpoints, encoded streams of the first,
third and fifth viewpoints are multiplexed to a 3D_AU stream and
the 3D_AU stream is transmitted to a receiver. After processing the
3D_AU stream at the receiver side, the user is able to see the
moving pictures of the first, third and fifth viewpoints.
Therefore, it is a display mode that provides wider view of the
moving picture.
Third, the stereoscopic display mode is a mode for displaying
three-dimensional moving pictures of two viewpoints acquired by two
cameras. That is, in case that the user selects the stereoscopic
display mode and desired viewpoints such as a first and a second
viewpoints or a third and a fourth viewpoints, encoded streams of
the selected viewpoints are multiplexed to a single 3D_AU stream
and transmitted to a receiver. The transmitted 3d_AU stream is
decoded and displayed on a display device.
In the above-mentioned stereoscopic display mode, an arrangement of
cameras is a critical factor. For implementing the preferred
embodiment for supporting the stereoscopic display mode, following
assumptions are required.
At first, there is a certain set of cameras that provides a moving
picture as a stereo. When the user selects the viewpoints, it
assumes that the user knows a pair of camera that supports the
stereo. The user should select the viewpoints among the pair of
camera that supports the stereo. For example, if the user selects a
first viewpoint, then a second viewpoint should be selected and
encoded streams of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint are
multiplexed to a single 3D_AU stream. The 3D_AU stream is
transmitted to a receiver.
The auto-stereoscopic display mode is a display mode combining the
panorama display mode and the stereoscopic display mode.
The same assumptions of the stereoscopic display mode need to be
implemented to the auto-stereoscopic display mode for selecting the
viewpoints. That is, the user should select a certain set of
viewpoints providing the moving pictures as the stereo. And the
moving picture of each viewpoint is provided as the panorama
display mode. For example, if the user selects a first viewpoint, a
second viewpoint and a third viewpoint, then the first viewpoint
and the second viewpoint should be provide the moving pictures as
the stereo and the second viewpoint and the third viewpoint should
provide the moving pictures as the stereo. And the moving pictures
of each viewpoint are provided as the panorama display mode.
Therefore, it is a display mode providing a three-dimensional view
and a wider view of the moving pictures.
In the auto-stereoscopic display mode, the method for multiplexing
the multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures of the panorama
display mode is used since the moving pictures of three viewpoints
should be multiplexed.
Referring to FIG. 2 and the above-mentioned assumptions, the method
for multiplexing the multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures
according to a display mode selected by user in accordance with the
present invention is explained in detail as follows.
The multi-view moving pictures from N multi-view cameras are
inputted at a step 201.
The received multi-view moving pictures from the N cameras are
encoded to each minimum near-by unit and N multi-view encoded
streams are generated at a step 202, wherein the N multi-view
encoded streams include a first viewpoint's multi-view encoded
stream, a second viewpoint's multi-view encoded stream, . . . ,
N.sup.th viewpoint's multi-view encoded stream.
At a step of 203, back channel information of a user is analyzed
for detecting a display mode and viewpoints selected by the
user.
According to a result of the step 203, multi-view encoded streams
corresponding to the viewpoints detected from the back channel
information are selected among N multi-view encoded streams and the
selected multi-view encoded streams are multiplexed according to
the display mode selected by the user at steps 204, 205 and 206.
For example, if the user requests the two-dimensional display mode
at the step 203, one encoded stream corresponding to a viewpoint
requested by the user is multiplexed at the step 204. If the user
requests the panorama display mode or the auto-stereoscopic display
mode at the step 203, three encoded streams corresponding to
viewpoints selected by the user are multiplexed at the step 205 and
if the user requests the stereoscopic display mode at the step 203,
two encoded streams corresponding to viewpoints selected by the
user are multiplexed at the step 206.
After multiplexing the multi-view encoded streams corresponding to
the viewpoints selected by the user, the multiplexed stream is
packetized with additional information of an encoding method and
the user's back channel information to a transmission packet and
the transmission packet is transmitted at a step 207.
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are a diagram explaining a method for multiplexing
three-dimensional moving pictures according to the display mode
requested from the user.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the method for multiplexing
three-dimensional moving pictures in a case of a two-dimensional
display mode.
Referring to FIG. 3, if the user requests the two-dimensional
display mode, one encoded stream is selected according to a
viewpoint requested from the user among received N numbers of
encoded streams and the selected stream is multiplexed to a 3D_AU
stream.
Each encoded stream includes multiple numbers of frames and each
frame is multiplexed to the 3D_AU stream.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for multiplexing
three-dimensional moving pictures in a case of a panorama display
mode or an auto-stereoscopic display mode.
Referring to FIG. 4, if the user requests the panorama display mode
or the auto-stereoscopic display mode, multi-view encoded streams
of a first viewpoint, a second viewpoint and a third viewpoint,
which are requested from the user, are selected among the received
N multi-view encoded streams and the selected multi-view encoded
streams are multiplexed to a single 3D_AU stream.
That is, multi-view encoded streams of the three viewpoints
selected by the user are orderly united and composed to the single
3D_AU stream and outputted. In other words, the selected encoded
streams having L numbers of frames are multiplexed to the 3D_AU
stream by orderly multiplexing frames of selected three encoded
streams to one frame.
For transmitting the 3D_AU stream at the transmitter, additional
information of only one encoded stream is used. Therefore,
unnecessary packet header can be eliminated, and efficiency of
transmission increases.
The same method for multiplexing the multi-view three-dimensional
moving picture is required in both of the panorama display mode and
the auto-stereoscopic display mode; however, a method for
demultiplexing the received 3D_AU stream is not same in the
panorama display mode and the auto-stereoscopic display mode.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for multiplexing
multi-view three-dimensional moving pictures in a case of a
stereoscopic display mode in accordance with the present
invention.
Referring to FIG. 5, if the user requests the stereoscopic display
mode and viewpoints of a first and second, encoded streams of the
first viewpoint and the second viewpoint among the received N
multi-view encoded streams are multiplexed to a 3D_AU stream.
That is, multi-view encoded streams of two viewpoints are orderly
united and composed to the single 3D_AU stream and outputted. In
other words, the selected encoded streams having L numbers of
frames are multiplexed to the 3D_AU stream by orderly multiplexing
frames of selected two encoded streams to one frame.
In a receiver, a received 3D_AU stream is demultiplexed to
multi-view encoded streams and the multi-view encoded streams
should be decoded for displaying moving pictures on a display
device. For decoding the multi-view encoded stream at the receiver,
information of encoding method is required. Therefore, the
packetizer packetizes the necessary information for decoding into a
header by receiving additional information from the encoder and
back channel information of user from the multiplexer.
As mentioned above, by multiplexing multi-view encoded streams
having identical time information to one basis stream, a
synchronizing process of multi-view encoded streams can be
simplified. Moreover, eliminating overlapped header information
increases efficiency of transmission. Time information in an
encoded stream of single viewpoint is acquired and used for
processing all other encoded streams. Therefore, overlapped header
information can be eliminated.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a transmission packet in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 6, a packetizer 113 packetizes additional
information for an encoding method, a user's back channel
information and a 3D_AU stream to a transmission packet and the
transmission packet is transmitted to a receiver.
The transmission packet includes a header and a payload. The header
contains the additional information for an encoding method and the
back channel information of the user. The payload contains the
3D_AU stream.
The transmission packet is transmitted to the receiver and
unpacketized to the header and the payload by an unpacketizer at
the receiver. The header is passed to an additional information
analyzer for analyzing the additional information and the back
channel information of the user. The 3D_AU stream included in the
payload is demultiplexed at a demultiplexer. For demultiplexing,
the additional information and the back channel information from
the additional information analyzer is required.
The demultiplexed M encoded streams are passed to the decoder and
decoded by using the additional information included in the header.
The decoded streams are passed to a display device and displayed
according to the display mode and the viewpoints requested from the
user.
The above-mentioned method according to the present invention can
be implemented as instructions and stored to a computer readable
recoding medium such as a CD-ROM, RAM, floppy disk, hard disk and
optical magnetic disk.
The present invention can effectively synchronize multi-view
three-dimensional moving pictures according to four types of
display mode.
The present invention can process the multi-view three-dimensional
moving pictures according to the display mode and system
environment requested by the user.
The present invention can simplify a synchronization-process by
multiplexing multi-view encoded streams having identical time
information to one basis stream and minimize overlapped header
information by using time information acquired from an encoded
stream of one viewpoint to synchronize encoded streams of all
remained viewpoints.
The present invention also increases an efficiency of transmission
by streaming only data adaptable to the display mode selected by
the user and an environment of a system while maintaining the
comparability of a conventional system.
While the present invention has been described with respect to
certain preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that various changes and modifications may be made
without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the
following claims.
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